AN HISTORIC tree in Caversham that was faced with the chop has been saved after the applicants withdrew their plans.
Chair Homes wanted to fell the King’s Spy Oak in Gayhurst Close, which was used by Roundheads to spy on King Charles I’s army in 1643.
The company had applied to Reading Borough Council for permission to build a three-bed home on the land, but the only way to create the space would have been to cut down the oak.
Thought to be around 700 years old, it is subject to a Tree Preservation Order and is listed in the Woodland Ancient Tree Inventory as an Ancient Tree of National Special Interest.
Chair Homes said it had to go because it was diseased and in a state of decline, and promised to plant two new trees to replace it.
Campaigners said a rotting oak was still important to the eco-system, housing 1,800 invertebrate species including spiders, flies, worms and snails.
The Ancient Tree Forum was among the objectors, saying the tree was like a Grade I listed building and its destruction would be counter to government policy.
“The justification for the removal of this ancient tree contravenes both local and national planning policy and must therefore be refused,” its officer noted.
This was echoed by the Woodland Trust, which pointed out the tree “is thought to have had an association with key historical events, including the English Civil War in the mid-1600s. It is also significant on account of its size; with a girth of over 8 metres it is likely one of the largest oaks in the borough of Reading and its importance must be recognised.”
In the face of opposition, Chair Homes contacted Reading Borough Council to withdraw its application, and this was published on the local authority’s website on Friday, May 19.
The news has been welcomed by Reading MP Matt Rodda, who said: “I am very pleased and relieved that the ancient oak has been saved, this majestic tree has huge importance as the home to wildlife and also because of its history including being a lookout post during the English Civil War.
“I would like to thank everyone who campaigned to save this wonderful ancient tree and I hope it will remain a local landmark for many years to come.”
The withdrawn application can be seen on Reading Borough Council’s planning website.
